Vending machines



Jan. 12, 1965 R. E. MOORE 3,165,185

VENDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 29, 1962 |(5 7 ROBERT E. MOORE BY 18:5 18, 1a; 6 I

ATTORNEY J n INVENTOR United States Patent Ofifi ce 3,165,185 Patented Jan. 12, 1965 3,165,185 VENDEN G MACHINES Robert Edwin Moore, 336 White Oak, Winnetka, Ill. Filed Oct. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 233,662 1 Claim. (Ci. 1941) This invention relates to improvements in vending machines, and more particularly to a machine where the price of the commodity being vended can be varied according to the time when the machine is being used.

One of the problems attendant upon the placing of vending machines in industrial establishments is that of preventing the use of the machine at times other than rest periods, lunch periods and the like. In order to (11$- courage the use of the machine at periods other than those permitted by regulations, the machine is set to operate upon the payment of a charge which is greater than the charge during the proper period.

For example, if the regulations of the company provide for a work break between the hours of am. and 10: a.m., the machine would vend the product at a price of five cents. As a penalty for using the machine just prior to or just after the period just mentioned, for example, from 9:45 to 10 am. and from 10:15 to 10:30 a.m., the machine would operate at a consideration higher than that during the permitted period, for example, at ten cents.

At other times, prior to 9:45 am. and after 10:30 am, the price of the vended commodity would be twenty-five cents, the latter two prices being in the nature of penalties against the user for using the machine at times other than that permitted by regulations. I

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a vending machine where the price of the vended article varies according to the time during which it is used.

Another object is to provide a machine for vending a commodity, the price of which changes during the business day, the machine being designed to accept coins of varying denominations according to the time of the day in which the machine is used.

A still further object is to provide a vending machine having coin receiving slots of various denominations, the slot of lowest denomination being usable only at a time previously prescribed, and the slots for receiving coins of higher denominations being usable at times other than the prescribed times.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the following specification taken with the drawing which together describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and

what is now considered to be the best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein, and such other embodiments are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claim.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine having the improvements according to the present invention embodied therein;

FIG. 2 is a view showing mechanical and electrical structure for enabling the machine to dispense the commodity at varying prices depending upon the time of operation;

. tion of registration with the five FIG. 3 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing details of cam mechanism for determining the price of the vended article;

FIG. 4 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 44 of FIG. 2, showing details of circuit closing mechanism embodied in the machine seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a coin receiving slot adapted to receive a coin of a small denomination during a permitted period of operation of the machine seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view showing a coin receiving slot of a higher denomination adapted to receive a coin at a period other than the period described seen in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view showing a coin receiving slot of the largest denomination adapted to receive a coin of largest denomination only, and at a period when use of the machine is to be discouraged entirely.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the improved vending machine according to the present invention is referred to generally by the reference numeral 10, and includes a cabinet 11 having a front panel 12. The front panel 12 supports a clock 13, and a vending station 15 supports a container 14 adapted to receive a vending product from a spout 16.

Operation of the machine 10 is had by means of an actuating bar 17, which is able to be actuated upon the deposition of a proper coin in one of a number of coin receiving slots 18, each being of a difierent denomination.

The machine 10 is by way of illustration only, and may equally as well be used for vending such commodities as sandwiches, candy or the like.

Structure is provided for causing registration of a movable coin receiving slot with the slots of various denominations 18 located on the front panel 12. The front panel slots 18 which are designated as being capable of receiving a single coin of a five, ten or twenty-five cent denomination depending upon the hour of use of the machine 10 are each in register at times with coin receiving devices of a particular denomination, so that the closing of a make-ready circuit for the operation of the machine is accomplished.

As seen in FIG. 5, there are three movable coin receiving devices, these being designated respectively by the reference numerals 21, 22 and 23, coin receiving device 21 being for the reception of a coin in the amount of five cents, coin receiving device 22 being adapted to receive a coin of ten cent denomination, and coin receiving device 23 being adapted to receive a coin of twenty-five cent denomination.

As seen in FIG. 5, coin receiving device 21 is in a posicent slot on the bank of slots 18 seen on the front panel 12, such five cent slot being designated 18 Coin receiving device 21 would be in register with slots 18 on the panel 12 at a time, for example, between the hours of 10 am. and 10:15 am. It will be observed that coin receiving devices 22 and 23 for the respective ten and twenty-five cent denominations, are out of register with their respective ten and twentyfive cent slots on the front panel 12, these being designated respectively as slots 1-8 and 18 As seen in FIG. 6, the ten cent coin receiving device 22 has moved into register with the corresponding ten cent slot 18 on the front panel 12. At this time coin receiving device 23 for the tWeny-five cent denomination is out of register with the front panel twenty-five cent slot 18 At this time, also, the five cent coin receiving device 21 has moved out of register with its corresponding five cent slot 18 on the front panel 12. The time of register of the ten cent slot would be from the hours of 9:45 to 10:00 a.m. and from 10:15 to 10:30 a.rn., for example.

Referring now to FIG. 7, both the coin receiving devices 21 and 22 for the respective five and ten cent denominations are out of register with their corresponding slots 18 and 18 in the bank of slots 18 on the front panel 12. However, coin receiving device 23 is now in register with its slot 18 on the front panel 12.

Structure is provided for moving the coin receiving devices 21, 22 and 23 into proper register with slots 18 181 and 18 according to the predetermined time as previously described. The coin receiving devices 21, 22 and 23 are respectively supported upon armature members 26, 27, and 28, each of the armature members 26, 27 and 28 having respective laterally extending arms 26A, 27A and 28A. Laterally extending arms 26A, 27A and 28A are each mounted for sliding movement in supports 29 and 31, so that the armature members may be moved selectively in lateral directions.

Each of the laterally extending arms 26A, 27A and 28A is part of a movable armature of respective solenoids 32, 33 and 34.-

Structure is provided for energizing the solenoids 32, 33 or 34 depending upon the aforesaid time periods of a given day. The energization of the solenoids 32, 33 and 34 is controlled by cams 36, 37 and 38 mounted on a time clock shaft 39. Each of the solenoids 32, 33 or 34 is adapted to be energized by a supply circuit including power leads 41 and 42.

Solenoid'32, for example, is energized by a switch 43 connected in circuit including the power lead 41, the switch 43, a lead 44 to the solenoid 32, the solenoid 32, the circuit being completed by the return lead 42. Switch 43 is closed by the cam 36, for example, during the regular lunch period or during the coffee break periods during a working day.

Each of the cam members 36, 37 and 38 cooperates with an actuating member 46 which is biased by a spring 47 into contact with the periphery of the cam member 36, see also FIG. 3. Spring 47 is constrained between a cam follower 48 at one end of actuating member 46 and an abutment 49.

The energization of the solenoid 32 and the movement of the armature 26A associated therewith causes the five cent coin receiving slot 21 to move into register with the five cent coin slot 18 see also FIG. 5. The translative movement of the armature member 26A causes translative movement of a contact member 51 carried thereon and insulated from the armature member 26A by means of an insulating sleeve 52. As seen in FIG. 2, the contact member 51 is indexed with respect to a contact member 53 supported on a current carrying bus bar 54. However, and as seen in FIG. 4, the contact member 51 is spaced from the contact member 53 and moves into circuit closing position by actuation of the actuating bar 17.

A pair of spaced arms 56 extend from the actuating bar 17 and through corresponding spaced apertures 57, see FIG. 4, in the front panel 12, these arms being connected by a yoke 58. Spaced guide brackets 58A extend from a panel 58B spaced inward from the front panel 12, and are provided With a slot 58C therein cooperating with pins 59 extending from the yoke member 58 to guide the yoke member 58 in its movement.

Upon actuation of the actuating bar 17, a circuit is completed between the contact members 51 and 53. It will be understood that the deposition of the proper coin in the slot 18 and the acceptance thereof by the coin receiving device 21, see FIG. 5, will close a make-ready circuit which is completed upon actuating of the bar 17 As is known to those familiar with the art, the vending machine may contain suitable mechanism for the delivery of a receptacle 1.4 to the station and the deposition in the receptacle 14 of the commodity being vended.

Before and after the time when the machine 10 is conditioned to receive coins of five cent denomination, for example, the machine is conditioned to receive a ten cent coin or a twenty-five cent coin according to the hours of a working day. For example, between the time intervals of 9:45 to 10:00 a.m., and from 10:15 to 10:30 a.m., the machine may be conditioned to receive coins of a ten cent denomination only.

Accordingly, the cam 37 on time clock shaft 39 is adapted during the time intervals stated to close a switch 61 which is connected in circuit with the power lead 41 and a lead 62 to the solenoid 33, the circuit being completed upon closing of the switch 61 through the solenoid 33 by the other power lead 42.

At this time the solenoid 32 is de-energized by reason of the movement of the cam 36, and the contact member 51 is moved out of index position with the contact member 53. Upon energization of the solenoid 33 a contact member 63 supported on the armature member 27A and insulated therefrom by an insulating sleeve 64, moves into position with a contact 66 supported on a bus bar 67. Upon energization of the solenoid 33, armature member 27A moves and causes the ten cent coin receiving mechanism 22 to move into register with the ten cent slot 18 see FIG. 6, and upon deposition of a ten cent coin into the slot 18 and the reception thereof in the coin receiving mechanism 22, a make-ready circuit is closed and such circuit is completed by the actuation of the actuating bar 17.

During other periods of the working day, as has been described, the cam 38 mounted on the clock shaft 39 moves into position to close a switch 68 connected in circuit with one of the power leads 41 and a lead 69 to the solenoid 34, the circuit being completed through solenoid 34 by the other power lead 42. Armature member 28A is moved upon energization of solenoid 34, and carries a contact member 71 insulated therefrom by a sleeve 72, and during energization of the solenoid 34 the contact member 71 moves to an index position with a contact member 73 supported on a bus bar 74. It will be understood that during the energization of the solenoid 34, solenoids 32 and 33 will be de-energized and their respective contact members 51 and 63 moved out of index position with respect to their cooperating contact members 53 and 66.

Upon energization of the solenoid 34, the twenty-five cent coin receiving mechanism 23 moves into register with the twenty-five cent slot 18 see FIG. 7. Reception of a twenty-five cent coin by the twenty-five cent coin receiving mechanism 23 closes a make-ready circuit which is completed upon actuation of the actuating bar 17 which moves the contact member 71 into circuit closing position with the fixed contact member 73. Upon actuation of the actuating bar 17 the vending machine 10 will initiate and complete a vending cycle as previously described, and in a manner well known in the art.

It may be noted that the cams 36, 37 and 38 seen in FIG. 3 are by way of illustration only, and that their contours are suitably varied according to desired time intervals throughout the Working day.

From the description foregoing, it is believed evident that there has been provided some new and useful improvements in the art of vending food or other commodities at varying prices according to a period when the machine is called upon for a vending operation.

While the invention has been described in terms of an operable embodiment, it is not intended that the invention be limited by the precise embodiment herein shown, the scope of the invention being intended to be limited only by the claim subjoined.

I claim:

In a vending machine adapted to vend a product, the price of which varies in accordance with the time when said machine is operated, a plurality of fixed coin passing means for coins of different denominations, a plurality, of coin receiving means, each being adapted to move into a position of register with its associated coin passing means and being adapted at other times to block its associated coin passing means, means mounting each of said coin receiving means for movement to coin receiving and coin blocking positions, electromagnetic means for moving said last named means to either of said positions including means for controlling said electromagnetic means according to the operation time, a fixed contact associated with each of said coin receiving means, a contact movable 5 with each of said coin receiving mounting means into an index position with respect to the said fixed contact of such coin receiving means, and means for closing a circuit between a fixed contact and a contact indexed with respect to said fixed contact.

Haskins Aug. 4, 1903 Friendly Sept. 3, 1929 

